There are not too many things in this world that you can control, try as you might. You must’ve learned by now that you can’t control other people. You can’t control outside circumstances. You’ll never control the weather or the flow of traffic. 

There are so many things that are beyond your control, but that does not make you powerless. 

 
Freedom of choice dictates that you can control every reaction you have to every situation. You can make the choice to control every thought, idea, and emotion in your own head. In turn you can make the choice to control every word, idea, emotion and thought you put out into the world. 

You are free to control all of your choices. The power comes when you take personal responsibility for the choices you make. 

Personal responsibility can be frighteningly empowering. It is scary as hell to take responsibility for every single choice we make all day long.

Imagine taking personal responsibility for every aspect of your life. What would it be like? Imagine living a completely mindful life, always acting from personal responsibility. Imagine taking ownership of every single decision all day long.  What would that be like? 
Imagine…

You are personally responsible for every single word that you let out. 

You are personally responsible for every bite of food that goes into your mouth. 

You are personally responsible for every silly slip that your tongue makes.  

You are personally responsible for every sip of every drink you ever take. 

You are personally responsible for every thought you choose to entertain. 

You are personally responsible for every needling thought you ignore again and again. 

You are personally responsible for following every rule you choose to abide.

You are personally responsible for breaking all the rules you choose to brush aside.

You are personally responsible for the production of every product you choose to buy.

You are personally responsible for the success of each corporation you choose to patronize.

You are personally responsible for every creature you choose to domesticate and tame.

You are personally responsible for every being whose life you deem fair game.

You are personally responsible for every feeling you choose to engage and express. 

You are personally responsible for every emotion you choose to rein in and suppress.

You are personally responsible for every conversation you initiate, ignore, or engage.

You are personally responsible for every argument you join, every battle you wage.

You are personally responsible for your own reaction to every person, thing, circumstance.

You, and you alone, are responsible, it’s not random chaos and happenstance.

Every time you make a choice,

Every time you speak your voice,
Personally, responsibly decide,

Take a breath and look inside. 

You are personally, powerfully responsible. 

You are responsibly, personally powerful.

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(Watch that first step, it’s a doozy.)
Freedom of Choice by Devo

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